Middle School, 3rd Year, 1st Semester

Middle School, 3rd Year, 2nd Semester

I met you when I was 8 years old. Compared to other kids my age, I was very weak and timid. Perhaps that's why I couldn't fit in. The other kids saw how frail I was and bullied me. But the 8-year-old Seong Hanseo was too timid and stupid. He didn't even realize he was being bullied; he thought the kids wanted to be his friends and just kept smiling.

Then you came to our elementary school. Back then, you were taller than me. When I first saw you, I felt a desire to be someone's friend for the first time. But the thought of whether someone like you would ever want to be friends with someone like me blocked my path, and I couldn't approach you first.

On the day you arrived, the kids were teasing me as usual. I just kept smiling like an idiot. Then our eyes met, and you started walking toward me. You grabbed my wrist and pulled me far away from the other kids.

"Hey, are you an idiot?"

Do you know how bad it feels to be called an idiot by someone you just met? I couldn't say a word to that. I had nothing to say. Because it was true.

"...Whatever. From now on, you're hanging out with me." "...Huh?" "I'm saying I'll be your friend."

After saying that, you always took me with you throughout elementary and middle school. When eating, doing homework, or playing. Because of that, I gradually became comfortable with you, and I felt anxious whenever you weren't there.

One day, you looked particularly excited.

"Hey, I'm entering a huge competition today." "What kind of competition?" "You'll see. You're coming to watch, right?"

You didn't even tell me what it was, just gave me a slip of paper and told me to come. But for some reason, I wanted to go, so I went with my mom. I wondered what it could be, and it turned out to be a piano competition. That was the first time I heard the sound of a piano, and it was so mystical. While waiting for you to come out, I listened to the other participants. And finally, you appeared.

You looked around as if searching for someone, and when our eyes met, you gave me a bright smile. Was it from that moment that I started liking you?

Once your performance began, I couldn't take my eyes off you. Your beautiful hands playing the piano, your focused eyes, even your feet. I found myself wanting to play the piano too. I wanted to become a cool pianist and sit on the same bench as you, playing together.

We entered the same middle school, and in our third year, we were in the same class. On the day we filled out our career path forms, we both wrote 'Pianist'.

It was the very next day, I think, when I heard the news that you had been in a car accident. I felt like the world was collapsing. As soon as school ended, I headed straight to the hospital where you were. Standing in front of the room labeled 'Guest', I saw your back.

I slowly walked up behind you. Normally, you would have heard my footsteps first and turned around with a smile saying you were fine, but you slowly turned around, looked at me, and said:

"...Hey." "I can't hear anything."

After that, you never touched a piano again. I couldn't see you happy anymore.

So I made up my mind. No matter if you can't hear, I'll tell you every day that you can still play, that you can still be a pianist.

I really want you, of all people, to become a pianist. Since I'll always be standing behind you, you just need to do whatever you want and smile for me.

That is my dream.

♫ V - Christmas Tree